Powerpoint 2003 "can't read file xxx.ppt"

K

kiani

Hi,

I am using Powerpoint 2003, and I can't open some Powerpoint presentations
sent by a colleague who is using a previous version (Powerpoint 2000).

The files are not corrupt, because I can open the presentations using
Powerpoint XP. After I save the presentations again using Powerpoint XP I
can open them with Powerpoint 2003.

I would like to be able to open this Ppt 2000 presentations with Ppt 2003,
without having to use Powerpoint XP (which is installed in another
computer). I have read in the news that Norton Antivirus might be causing
some problems, but after turning off the Office plugin I still get the same
"can't read file" problem.

Any idea why this is happening?

Thanks!
 
T

TAJ Simmons

kiani,

This is some information from microsoft

===
FYI: A presentation saved in PPT 2000 may not open in PowerPoint 2003 due
to new security codes that interprets some of the ways that PowerPoint 2000
saves Office Drawing objects as potential security flaws that might be
exploited. The symptoms in PowerPoint are:

1) Presentation opens up just fine in PowerPoint 2000 or PowerPoint 2002
2) When you try to open in PPT 2003 you get following error message:

"PowerPoint can't open <filename> because part of the file is missing."

The workaround is to open the presentation in PowerPoint 2002 and save the
presentation with new name (forcing a complete resave of the presentation).
After this, the file can be opened up in PowerPoint 2003.

NOTE: This is actually a core MSO problem in how Microsoft Office Drawing
objects are saved from Office 2000 and interpreted on file open in Office
2003. Because of this, problems will also occur (symptoms will vary) when:

* Open & Close a Word 2000 document in Word 2003 (or save as HTML/XML)
* Open an Excel 2000 workbook in Excel 2003 (comples OfficeArt data missing)
===

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free sample templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com
 
S

Steve Rindsberg, PPTMVP

TAJ nailed it, Kiani, but knowing what the problem is doesn't help you solve
it.
Here's something you might want to try (and PLEASE let us know if it works):

Have the colleage save the presentation as HTML (publish as web page, in
other words).
They'll need to send you both the main file and the sub folder with all the
supporting files.
WinZIP helps here. A lot. ;-)

See if that opens into 2003 OK.

--

Steve Rindsberg PPT MVP
PPTLive ( http://www.pptlive.com ) Featured Speaker
PPTools: http://www.pptools.com
PPT FAQ: http://www.pptfaq.com
 
S

Sonia

I would be really interested in the results, because when I saw your reply I
got all hopeful. I have a sample presentation from a newsgroup member that
has this problem. So I opened it in PowerPoint 2000 and tried to do a save
to web page and got "PowerPoint found an error that it can't correct. You
should save presentations, quit, and then restart PowerPoint.

When I open the same file in PowerPoint 2002, I am able to save to web page.

When the same .ppt file is opened in PowerPoint 2003 I get the "PowerPoint
can't open C:\blahblah.ppt because part of the file is missing. When I open
the HTML file in PowerPoint 2003 no problem.
 
K

Kathryn Jacobs

Okay, so then I shouldn't bother trying it here. I have someone who is
fighting the same situation. One significant problem they are having is that
when I do open the presentation in 2002 and re-save it, the animations
change. I was going to see if doing it in 2003 would fix the open problem
without messing with the animations.

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft PPT MVP
If this helped you, please take the time to rate the value of this post:
http://rate.affero.net/jacobskl/
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
Cook anything outdoors with http://www.outdoorcook.com
Kathy is a trainer, writer, Girl Scout, and whatever else there is time for
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived
 
S

Sonia

Please do try it! I'd like to know if it's just me, or if it's PowerPoint
2000. Can you save as web page?
 
K

kiani

Thanks for the information, TAJ!

Just a question: the message I get is not

"PowerPoint can't open <filename> because part of the file is missing."


but

"Powerpoint can't read <filename>"

Is it the same message? The workaround I did is the one suggested in the
message.

So, for the future, what do I have to tell to my colleagues who are using
Powerpoint 2000? Do they have to "re-save" the presentation before sending
it to me? Would that always work? (the thing is, I don't have access to
Powerpoint 2000 when I'm not at home, so I'd have to be sure I can open the
file in PPT 2003)

Thanks a lot!
kiani
 

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